Around Houston, the panic among fans about the Texans’ offense has centered around quarterback Matt Schaub and whether he can lead the Texans to a Super Bowl championship.

Elsewhere though, the opinion differs.

During this offseason, I’ve had conversations with offensive minds and players around the league who wondered why Schaub took so much of the heat when there were so many other issues with the Texans’ offense. One NFC assistant coach asked me: “How often did he have guys open?” Indeed, receiver is the Texans’ clearest remaining need, especially after they cut Kevin Walter.

Today, Grantland.com took a look at Houston’s offense, leading with the contrasts between the Texans’ and the Patriots’ offenses that go beyond their quarterbacks.

In addition to highlighting the need for a complimentary receiving option to Andre Johnson, the story says:

The shuffling of the right side of the offensive line diminished the effectiveness of the running game. “It’s when the running isn’t an option — either because of ineffectiveness or a big deficit — that the plan falters.”James Casey was almost strictly a lead blocker and should have had a heavier pass-catching role he’s sure to see in Chip Kelly’s offense in Philadelphia. “As teams find new ways to use players who don’t fit certain boxes, the Texans are trying to shove their players into them.”The zone-blocking scheme the Texans employ is outdated. “Fifteen years ago, the zone-blocking scheme held dear by Mike Shanahan and offensive line coach Alex Gibbs was a way to win deep into the playoffs. John Elway and Terrell Davis were the ultimate play-action combination, and it was enough to win back-to-back Super Bowls. These days, very few teams lean on the straightforward zone running game for the majority of their offense. Shanahan’s new team did plenty of zone blocking this year, but it was combined with read-option looks and the constant running threat of Robert Griffin III.”